Fuel burner



Oct. 21, 1941. Y 'r. B. STILLMAN ,0

FUEL BURNER Filed June 23. 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet l fii J 11 i 1, f 5

Thomas B. Stf/Zman *R- W 30 L "l /i IN VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Oct. 21, 1941. T. B. STILLMAN 2,260,062

FUEL BURNER Filed June 23, 1937 Sheets-Sheet 2' INVENT OR.

Thomas B. SZIY/mcm Oct. 21, 1941. T. B. STILLMAN FUEL BURNER s Sheets-Sheet a Fild June 25, 1957 I INVENTOR. 7720ma5B5i/lman *2 bgm ATTORNEY.

Oct. 21, '1941. T. B. STILLMAIQI FUEL BURNER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 25, 1957- INVENTOR Szfi/iman Thomas B.

- 1 ATTORNEY.

Oct. 2l, 9 l- T. B. STILLMAN FUEL BURNER Filed June 23, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. 77107726155 SizY/man ATTORNEY.

-xnents in the construction ther and more specific a part of this specification.

standing of 7 reference should be had to Patented Oct. 21, 1941 UNITED} STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' mifiiiilm Thomas B.

signor to The Newark, N1 1., a corpora Stillman, South Orange, N. 1., as-.

Babcock & Wilcox tion of New Jersey I Company,

Application June 23, 1937, Serial-No. 149,822 I 14 Claims. (Cl. 158-15) The present invention relates in general to the construction and operation of fluid fuel burning apparatus, and more particularly to improveand operation of a fuel burner having a conical stream of fluid fuel delivered through a burner port The main object of my invention is to provide a fluid fuel burner of the particularly characterized by a wide range of operation, low air pressure drop through the burner with complete combustion and low excess air to insure highest efficiency of utilization of heat, and clear steady flame conditions. A furobject is to providea fuel burnerof the type described with an improved construction and arrangeme t of devices in the path of air flow for directing and controlling the flow of air through the burner and for mixing the flowing air with fuel dischargedby the burner into the furnace.

For the most efficient use of the heat of. combustion of fuel burnedin the furnace, it is essential that all of the fuel be burned and with theleast' excess air, and in many cases it is highly important that the flame be also as short as possible. My invention provides means of attaming these objectives to a higher degree than has been possible heretofore. In accordance with thebroader aspects of my invention, fuel in 'a fluid form is delivered through a fuel port coaxially with an air stream and preferably in such a way as to form a conicaifuel stream and the fluid fuel may be of the pulverized solid, sprayed liquid, or gaseous kind.

The various features of novelty which characterize the inven on are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexedto and forming the invention, tages and specific objects attained by its use, drawings and descriptive matter in which I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention for using liquid fuel.

Of the drawings:

, Fig. 1 is an elevationrpartly in section, of a mechanical atomizing liquid fuel burner conmy invention, the shown in their structed in accordance with burner air louvers or doors being open position;

Fig. 2 is a view of shown in Fig. 1; 3 is an elevation, partly insection, of the sprayer barrel and discharge or sprayer head;

Fig. .4 is a vertical section of the sprayer plate;

the outer end of the burner into an air-stream.

type described which is .Fig. 5 is a view of the outer or rear end of the sprayer plate shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation flector cone;

Fig. 7 is an outer end view of the cone shown in Fi 6;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the diffuser cone; Fig. 9 is an outer end view of the diffuser-cone shown in Fig. 8;

Figs. 10 and 11 are sections taken on the lines Ill-l0 and l|- ll respectively, of Fig. 9; Fig. 12 is an outer end view of the burner port ring;

Fig. 1-3-is avertical section taken on the line l3--I'3of-Fig;12; I

Fig. 14'is a fragmentary section taken on the line l4- -Il of Fig.12; Y I

Fig. 15 is a view of one of the port ring vanes taken in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 13;

Fig. 16 is a section through the ring vane taken on the line li- -li of Fig. 15; Fig. 1'7 is a perspective view of the port ring; Fig. 18 is a sectional view through the burner showing the air louvers in their closed position; 19 is an enlarged outer end view of one of the airlouvers as shown in Fig. 18;

Fig. 20-is an enlarged inner end viewv of the air louver gear ring;

louver gear-pinions; and

For a better under- I its operating advan- The port III so defined converges inwardly to an the accompanying the outer end of the tion, of the louver operating crank Fig. 21 is an enlarged plan view of meat the Fig. 22 is an enlarged plan view, partly in secand pinion gear assembly. i

In the drawings 1 have illustrated a liquid fuel burner mounted in a circular port Ill formed in one of the vertical walls ll of a liquid fuel bumin'g furnace. The port In is defined by segmental refractory tile 12 held in position in a circular opening in the wall by a frusto-conical grid l3. throat and then diverges to me inner or furnace side of the wall II. An inwardly tapering metal ring member 20, hereinafter described in detail, extends into the port within the grid l3 and is held in position therein by peripheral clamps 2 l A double walled heatinsulated cover plate 25 iscoaxially arranged relative to and spaced from burnerport ring and prohub member 26 through intermediate circular vided with a central which extends a distance piece 21 in axial align- V ment with the port It and port ring 20. The

inner end of the distance piece supports a bladed diffuser cone 28, shown in Figs. 8-11. The outer end of the distance piece 21 extends beyond the of the air de- I As shown in Figs.

cover plate 25 and supports a valve assembly comprising a coupling 30 having its lower end detachably connected to a. valve body 3| mounted on the distance piece. The valve body is connected to a source of liquid fuel and delivers the same through the coupling 30to a sprayer barrel or extension piece 35, as shown in Fig. 3. The barrel 35 is arranged within the distance piece 21 with an axial fuel passage 36 therethrough to a sprayer head arranged within the outer end of the diffuser cone 28.

The sprayer head of the barrel 35 comprises a nozzle body 31 having a series of symmetrically arranged diverging passages 38 therein leading to a circular slot 39 in its inner face. The nozzle body is threaded onthe inner end of the barrel and its inner end portion externally threaded to receive a sprayer tip or cap member 49 holding a sprayer plate 4| in contact with the nozzle body. The sprayer plate 4|, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, has a central whirl chamber 42 of circular cross-section which converges to charge orifice 43 at its inner. or discharge end. The inner face 44 of the sprayer plate is dished and rounded to form a widely diverging continuation of the discharge orifice 43. The outer face of the sprayer plate has a series of narrow liquid fuel slots 45 therein symmetrically arranged tangentially to the whirl chamber 42 and providing communication between the circular slot 39 in the nozzle body and the whirl chamber. With the described construction, liquid fuel under pressure will .pass through the barrel and sprayer head passages and be sprayed in a hollow cone of liquid fuel particles through the space within the diffuser cone 28, coaxi ally of and through the port ring 20.

A register ring 50 is mounted onthe outer end of the port ring 20 and connected to the cover plate 25 by a circular series of supporting struts ranged outwardly inclined pin bolts 52 forming pivot supports for the curved edge 51 of corresponding segmental shaped flat air louvers 53. A stationary sleeve 54 surrounds the distance piece 21 at the inner side of the cover plate 25 and at its inner end supports a pinion support ring 55. The ring 55 has a series of circumferentially spaced inwardly inclined holes therein in alignment with the axes and at the outer side of corresponding pivot bolts 52 and which receive stub shafts on segmental bevel gear pinions 55 which are mounted on the narrow edge 58 of the louver 53. Each louver 53 is thus pivotally mounted on I mounted on the inner end of a rotatable sleeve 3| surrounding the sleeve 54 and having its outer end rotatable on the'inner end of the hub 23.-

The sleeve 6| carries a segmental gear quadrant .62 on its outer end, which is engaged by a pinion gear 63 mounted on a shaft 64 extending through the cover p1ate 25, as shown in Figs. 1 and 22. The shaft 64 carries a crank 65 which is adapted to be moved'in an arc across the front of the 1 and 18, the outer end of the ring 50 carries a series of symmetrically arcover plate to vary the amount of opening and thereby the angular position of the pivoted air louvers 53. The crank may be set for any desired louver position by means of a. trigger 68 engaging a toothed quadrant 61 mounted on the cover plate. In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the crank is at its extreme left position and the louvers in their fully open position in which they lie in planes including the axis of the .burner barrel. In normal operation the air louvers will be partly open and effect a. rotation of the air entering the openings between the louvers in a clockwise direction, as viewed from the outer side a circular disthe boundary surface of the air flow Each air louver has aof the louvers.

In the burner construction shown, the combustion air will enter the space between the cover plate 25 and port ring 20 at all sides. To minimize concentration of the air at the center of the air louver assembly an air deflector cone I0 is mounted on and movable with the sleeve 6| at the outer side of the air louvers 53. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the deflector cone is formed in two segmental sections fitted closely together and forming a. right cone with a base angle of about 30. Hub extensions H on each cone section extend along the surface of the sleeve GI and have slots 12 through-which tap bolts 13 extend to permit adjustment of the deflector cone axially of the sleeve 6|. 'It has been found desirable in operation to shift the deflector cone outwardly along the sleeve 6! with higher capacity operation of .the burner.

The arrangement of the deflector cone I0 and the whirling eflfect given to the air stream by the louver arrangement described tend to concentrate the air stream along the inner periphery of-theregister ring 59 and the port ring 20. It has been found that the air flow conditions through the port ring are substantially improved by shaping these parts, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 14, to provide a convex bulged section 15 in path at the discharge or inner edge of the louvers 53.

The central portion of the clockwise whirling air stream contacts with the diffuser cone 28 surrounding the discharge head of the barrel 35. As shown in Figs. 8-11, the diffuser cone is formed by a frusto-conical plate having a central opening 16 into which the sprayer head projects and a circular series of segmental blades 11 formed by bending out segmental portions of the plate, leaving passages .18 through the plate through which air may flow. On contacting with the dimmed cone one portion of the air stream is deflected away therefrom by the consurfaces around the passages 18, while portion-passes through the passages 18 and due to the arrangement of the diffuser cone blades receives in added whirling effect in a clockwise direction. stream mixes with subsequently mixed with the portion of'the air stream passing around th periphery of the diffuser cone adjacent to the walls of the port ring;

Port rings having angularly arranged vanes or blades thereon have heretofore been used in' port II for aiding the mixture the furnac inlet of the liquid fuel metrically spaced about the inner surface of the cone. In accordance with my invention, and asshowninFigs. 12to l7,theinnerordisportion of the air' is used 18 tion of the port ring 20, whereby an improved charge end portion 20'. of the port ring 20 is formed with a non-circular internal periphery, and as shown, flattened to form a flat-sided regular polygon. A 'decagonal shape is illustrated in the drawings for this exit portion of the port ring, the ring being preferably peratureresisting alloy. The port ring also has a circular series of symmetrically spaced deflector vanes 80 welded to its inner periphery and correspending in number to the number of sides 8| of the polygon. Each vane 80 is arranged at an angle of approximately 60 to the plane of the discharge edge of the cone. The inner edge of each vane 80 extends from a point on the inner edge of the ring midway of the corresponding side 8| at an outward inclination corresponding 'to the peripheral surface of a cone having a .45".

base angle. Each vane inner. edge is rounded off at its top and merges with the' outer edge 84 which is straight and substantially normal to the corresponding portion of the ring at a point midway of its length. As indicated in cast of a suitable tem-' but it is believed that greater quantity Figs 15 and 16, the inner edge portion 85 of each 1 vane is bent to providea slight flllip. The de scribed angular arrangement and form of the vanes 82 direct the exit air near the port ring walls in counter-clockwise direction. An opening 86 isformed in the bottom of the port ring below the diffuser cone 28 through which any liquid fuel dripping from the discharge head flows into a. drain passage 81 in the wall II to the furnace.

Liquid-fuel burners of the general class described are extensively used in marine steam boiler installations in which theair required for combustion is-supplied by a fan under a variable pressure. The .air pressure is varied'with the operation of the burners and must ordinarily be substantially increased for operation of the burner at high capacities. It is highly desirable that the air pressure in such installations be kept at a low value over the entire range of burner operation to minimize the power required by the fan. The required air pressure depends mainly upon thepressure drop through the burner umt, and my invention involves the several features .of-burner construction described which jointly contribute to providing a relatively low pressure drop through" the burner unit'while appreciably, increasing the ability of the burner air rapidly acquire condition of zero relative velocity and move with.

to be obtained. The exact theoretical reasons for this improved mixing action are not known,

with a port ring of circuits exit end the outer or boundary layer of the fluid stream entering the furnace will be in the form of an annular sheet of air which has substantially the same linear and angular velocity and direction of motion over the whole of any cross-section. This outer layer is of greater importance than any other layer of equal radial thickness, because of the lar cross-section at greater cross-sectional area. Substantially complete utilization of this outer layer of air is essential for-completion of combustion with a min;- imum amount of excess air, but the desired degree of utilization has heretofore been impossible because in such prior constructions the fine liquid fuel particles enteringthe outer layer of the air velocity or reach the the air. The sprayed fuel particles have a general forward and outward movement after being discharged into the air stream. As the rate of combustion of the individual liquidfuel particles depends upon the rate at which the envelopinglayer of products of combustion generated is replaced by air, and this replacement is effectively accomplished by relative motion between the fuel particles and the air stream, the rate of combustion thereof will be substantially reduced when the zero relative velocity condition is reached. Under such conditions the combustion air must diffuse through the layer of combustion products around the fuel particles, and

.such diffusion is necessarily quite slow.

It is believed that with a non-circular perimeter for the inner or discharge end of the port ring the 'outer layer of the air streamv is more completely utilized and the rate of combustion substantially accelerated. With the bladed polygonal formation of the port ring described the outer layer of air is divided into ten flat sheets leaving the discharge edge of ,the ring in differently positioned planes. Adjacent -ilat sheets will have approximately the same velocity but different planes of discharge, and each sheet will I 'tend to overlap an adjacent sheet at least in part and create a turbulent condition in this to maintain furnace conditions for-high efliciency over a wide range of operating capacity of the boiler.

Appreciably higher overall steam boiler efficiencies have been obtained with the described liquid fuel burner-construction over a wide range of burner-operation than with existing liquid fuel burners over the same range of capacities with'thesame boiler and furnace. These efficiencies were obtained with a substantially pressure. For example, when tested in a marine -o0 lower pressure drop through the burners and boiler with an oil rate of 985.8.lbs. per hr. per

burner, the average CO2 percentage was found to be 14.19%, the pressure drop through the burners 1.6 inchesof water, and the boiler overall efiiciency 81.54%. Efficient conditions were maintained up to the relatively high capacity of 1500 lbs. of oil per hr. per burner.

One ,of the main factors contributing to'the high efficiencies obtained when this new burner believed to be the described construcoverlap zone. Fuel particles moving outwardly into this outer layer of air, and particularly where such overlapping occurs, will be contacted by combustion air rapidly changing in direction, whereby increased relative motion of the fuel and air and an accelerated combustion rate is obtained.

The liquid fuel burner described has been found to maintain a high average CO2 with'corresponding low excess. air and in steam boilers gives them high efliciencies throughout the wide range of operation required inmarine usage. A clear steady flame is maintained by the burner under these conditions without any tendency to pulsate. The low pressure drop through the burner not only reduces the forced draft. requirements but makes the burner particularly adapted for service in marine installations in which the boiler room is put under pressure.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes I have illustrated and described herein the best form of the invention now known to me, those skilled in the art will understand that changes may beinade in the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit mixing of the "entering fuel and air is believed of the invention covered by my claims, and that of air in this layer due to its certain features of my invention may sometimes be used .to advantage without a corresponding use of other features. Other sprayer means may be used for liquid fuel, and liquid fuel may be replaced by gas or by pulverized solid fuel discharged into the air stream, preferably in a conical stream, and the advantages of my invention will be obtained when the port ring perimeter is non-circular so as to divide the outer layer of air into a multiplicity of streams of different direction and partially overlapping to insure maximum utilization of the outer layer of air.

1. In combination with a furnace wall having a fuel burner port therein, a fluid fuel burner nozzle constructed to discharge a stream of fluid fuel, means for directing combustion air around the discharge end of said burner nozzle and through said burner port, and a ring member mounted in said burner port, said ring member having a discharge edge section formed with a non-circular internal perimeter, and a series of deflector vanes on the inner surface of said ring member arranged to extend at an oblique angle to the plane of the discharge edge.

2. In combination with a furnace wall having a fuel burner port therein, a fluid fuel burner nozzle constructed to discharge a stream of fluid fuel, means for directing combustion air around the discharge end of said bumei nozzle' and through said burner port, and a substantially frusto-conical ring member mounted in saidburner port, said ring member having a discharge edge section formed with a convex polygonal internal perimeter, and a series of deflector vanes on the inner surface of said ring member, each deflector vane being arranged to extend across a corresponding side of the discharge edge section at an oblique angle to the plane of the discharge edge.

3. In combination with a furnace wall having a fuel burner port therein, a fluid fuel burner nozzle constructed to discharge a conical stream of fluid fuel, means for directing combustion air around the discharge end of said burner nozzle and through said burner port, and a substantially frusto-conical ring member mounted in said burner port in axial alignment with the discharge end of said burner nozzle, said ring member having a discharge edge section formed with a flat sided regular polygonal nternal perimeter,- and a series of symmetrically spaced deflector vanes on the inner surface of said ring member, each vane being arranged to extend across a corresponding flat portion of said discharge edge section at an oblique angle to the plane of the dis? charge edge- 4. In'combination with a furnace wall having a fuel burner port therei a liquid fuel burner having a discharge head constructed to discharge a conical stream of finely divided liquid fuel therethrough, means for directing combustion air around said discharge head and through said burner port, and a substantially frusto-conical ring member mounted in said burner port in axial alignment with said discharge head, said ring member having a discharge edge section formed with a flat sided regular decagonal internal perimeter, and a seriesof symmetrically. spaced dev 5. A'fuel bumertgort ring having a discharge edge section formed with a flat-sided regular polygonal internal perimeter.

6. A fuel burner port ring having a substansection at its smaller end formed with a convex polygonal internal perimeterQand a series of deflector varies on the inner surface of said ring said body and each vane arranged to extend across a corresponding side of said discharge edge section at an oblique angle to the plane of the discharge edge.

8. A fuel burner ring having a substantially frusto-conical body with a discharge edge section at its smaller end formed with a flat-sided regular polygonal internal perimeter, and .a series of symmetrically spaced deflector-vanes on v the inner surface of said ring body and each vane arranged to extend across a corresponding flat portion of said discharge edge section at an oblique angle to the plane of the discharge edge.

9. A fuel burner port n'ng having a substantially frusto-conical body with a discharge edge section at its smaller end formed with a flatsided regular decagonal internal perimeter, and

a series of symmetrically spaced deflector vanes on the inner surface of said ring body.

10. A fuel burnerport ring having a substantially frusto-conical metallic body of heat resistant alloy with a discharge edge-section at its smaller end formed with a flat-sided regular decagonal internal perimeter. and a series of symmetrically spaced deflector vanes on. the inner surface of said ring body and each vane arranged to extend across a corresponding flat portion of discharge edge section at an oblique angle to the plane of the discharge edge.

11. A liquid-fuel burner comprising an elon- 5 gated barrel having a discharge head at one end c air louvers surrounding said flector vanes on the inner surface of said ring thereof arranged to discharge a conical stream of liquid fuel, a port ring at the discharge end of said barrel and coaxial with said discharge head, a series of deflector vanes symmetrically spacedand obliquely face of said ring, a bladed diffuser cone at the discharge end of said barrel at theeouter. side of said ring vanes, a circular series of segmental barrel at the outer side of said diifusercone. pivot means adjacent one edge of said louvers providing turning axes for said louvers oblique to and intersecting the axis of said barrel, a segmental-pinion gear for each louver, a pinion ring surrounding said barrel and in operative engagement with said pinion gears, a cover plate at the outer end ofsaid barrel, and means at the outer side of said cover plate for turning-said pinion ring.

12. A liquid fuel bumer comprising an elongated barrel having a discharge head at one end thereof arranged to dischargea conical stream of liquid fuel, a. substantially frusto-conical port ring at the discharge end of said and arranged coaxialljr with said discharge head, a register ring at the outer end circular series of segmental air louvers surrounding said barrel and pivotally mounted in said register ring,

andsaidregister andportringsbearranged on the inner sur of said Port ring, a

ing shaped to form an enlarged convex portion at the inner side of said louvers. Y

13. A liquid fuel burner comprising an elongated Barrel having a discharge head at one end thereof arranged to discharge a stream ofliquid fuel, a port ring at the discharge end of said barrel and coaxial with said discharge head, a seriesof deflector vanes symmetrically spaced and obliquely arranged on the inner surface of said ring, a circular series of segmental air louvers surrounding said barrel a: the outer side of said port ring, pivot means providing turning axes for said louvers intersecting the axis of said barrel, means for moving said louvers about their axes, and a deflector cone urrounding said barrel at the outer side of said louver-a and arranged to deflect air away from the center of said louver series.

14. A liquid fuel burner comprising an eldn head at one end gated barrel having a discharge thereof arranged to discharge a conical stream of liquid i'uel, a port ring at the discharge end of said barrel and coaxial .with said discharge head, a series of deflector vanes symmetrically spaced and obliquely arranged on the inner surface of said ring, a bladed diii'user cone at the discharge end of said barrel and at the outer side of said ring vanes, a circular series of segmental air louvers surrounding said barrel at the outer side of said port ring, pivot means providing turning aims for said louvers oblique to and intersecting the axis of said barrel, a cover plate at the outer end of said barrel. means at the outer side of said cover plate for moving said louvers, and an axially adjustable deflector cone surrounding said barrel between said louvers and said cover plate and arranged to deflect air away from the center ofsaid louver series.

mouse a. B'IILIMAN. 

